[Cython] More array/buffer syntax

[Dag Sverre Seljebotn]

Robert Bradshaw wrote:
> On Aug 4, 2008, at 6:18 PM, Greg Ewing wrote:
> 
>> Dag Sverre Seljebotn wrote:
>>
>>> I don't think the [] syntax buys anything above a regular
>>> pointer notation? If so, removing support for int[]-notation  
>>> altogether
>>> would get rid of the issue and lead to a cleaner grammar.
>> The current declaration syntax has the advantage that it's
>> the same as in C, so people familiar with C don't have to
>> learn anything new. This would be a step away from that,
>> although a fairly minor one.
>>
>> Another consideration is how much existing code it would
>> break, which could be quite a lot.
> 
> +1
> 
> Also, c_type[] vs. object_type[] are easily discerned, and they both  
> have similar (high level) meaning.

Well, there is an assymetry. If you did

cdef int[handler=ndarray, ndim=2]

or

cdef int[ndarray, 2]

you would be more correct. Hey...Perhaps that is not such a bad idea? 
Putting the dtype on the outside and the container type on the inside? 
This would mimic C in some way.

One could have

cdef int[ndim=2, mode='full']

would be an int buffer on an object. And

cdef int[len=44, mode='native']

would mean the C int[44]...

Just brainstorming though.

--
Dag Sverre